¨¨,«;*%@##                                          ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨¨¨,«;*%@#                                          #@%*;«,¨¨¨
¨¨,«;*%@##                                          ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨,«;*%@###                                          ###@%*;«,¨
¨¨,«;*%@##                                          ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨¨¨,«;*%@#             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             #@%*;«,¨¨¨
¨¨,«;*%@##             the alvar fields             ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨,«;*%@###             %%%##########%%%             ###@%*;«,¨
¨¨,«;*%@##                                          ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨¨¨,«;*%@# from   north  to   south,   thirty   odd #@%*;«,¨¨¨
¨¨,«;*%@## kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨,«;*%@### thousand meters.  from topsoil to stone, ###@%*;«,¨
¨¨,«;*%@## a foot or  two. no roots  can fester, no ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨¨¨,«;*%@#             dust can linger.             #@%*;«,¨¨¨
¨¨,«;*%@##                                          ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨,«;*%@### here  is  earth,  clay,  and  sturdy low ###@%*;«,¨
¨¨,«;*%@## plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨¨¨,«;*%@# earth  is bare in  patches  as large  as #@%*;«,¨¨¨
¨¨,«;*%@##               you and me.                ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨,«;*%@###                                          ###@%*;«,¨
¨¨,«;*%@## cross  it to get to  the ocean, or don't ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨¨¨,«;*%@#          to stay where you are.          #@%*;«,¨¨¨
¨¨,«;*%@##                                          ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨,«;*%@###                                          ###@%*;«,¨
¨¨,«;*%@##                                          ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨¨¨,«;*%@#                                          #@%*;«,¨¨¨
¨¨,«;*%@##                                          ##@%*;«,¨¨
¨,«;*%@###                                          ###@%*;«,¨